HYDERABAD: Encroachment eating up lake area is common in Hyderabad but have you come across the opposite?
Now picture this: Close to 15 electricity poles run through this lake, and islands of graves of a Hindu cemetery float in its waters; making anyone wonder how electrical maintenance work is carried out or tributes are paid to the dead, wading through the waters and braving the snakes in it.
This is Vennelagadda Cheruvu near Suchitra Junction on Medchal Highway. Thanks to the recent rains and unplanned urban expansion in recent years, the lake grows in size every monsoon engulfing the cemetery and the transmission lines.
The Subhashnagar TSSPDCL substation right at the southern end of the lake has transmission lines going through the lake to colonies in the eastern and northern end.
The substation provides electricity through seven feeders to Padmanagar, Jairamnagar, Rajaramnagar, Jeedimetla, Bank Colony, Suchitra Junction and Praga Tools in Indira Gandhi Nagar areas.
Workers of Subhashnagar TSSPDCL substation sometimes have to swim to the electric poles in an event of a glitch, braving snakes that are in plenty in the lake. One of the linemen said, "Ever since the increase in water levels this year, twice there have been some glitches in the transmission lines. So, one of the workers carried another worker on his shoulder to the defecting pole. The person carried on the back, who was dry, climbed the pole and mended the line."
Kompally SPDCL assistant engineer P Srinivas told Express: "These are cable lines and have no chances of short-circuit. Also, they require less maintenance. Power goes directly to the colonies through cables."
Locals say the Nizam-era lake was used as an irrigation tank when agriculture was practiced in the adjoining areas. "Some 10 years ago, with the city expanding, newer colonies sprang up and the lake water was of no use for agriculture. Simultaneously, sewerage from newer urban localities in Green Park, Ramrajanagar and also from Balaji Hospital area came into the lake, increasing water levels in it. This started inundating the electricity poles-that were erected a year before rise in water level-and also a part of the cemetery," said G Anjaneyulu, a resident of Gayatrinagar in the southern end of the lake.
"The sewerage drain draws excess water directly to the leather factory down south and our localities are not inundated even after heavy rains," said local resident B Rajaram.